title: Patients' appreciation of pre-clinical student performance in primary healthcare centres in Indonesia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Indonesia, primary healthcare (PHC) centres are among the eligible institutions to provide 'early clinical experiences' (ECE) for pre-clinical medical students. This study explored whether patients of PHC centres would accept third-year pre-clinical students practicing clinical skills with them.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immediately after being seen by a pre-clinical student--supervised by a general physician--76 patients of PHC centres participated in a structured, eight-question interview. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded to collate and interpret answers to the questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the patients were satisfied with the clinical performance of their pre-clinical student. Negative comments regarding some students addressed lack of confidence, being nervous, unable to provide satisfactory explanation and education and failure to speak the local language. Some patients suggested more practice for these students in PHC centres.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients in Indonesian PHC centres generally appreciated health services provided by pre-clinical medical students; no significant objections were recorded. This supports the suitability of these PHC centres to offer ECE for pre-clinical students.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, Skills Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Gadjah Mada University, Jogjakarta, Indonesia. widyandana@ugm.ac.id
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Widyandana
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Majoor
authors.forename: A J J A
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Scherpbier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003142:Communication; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*